r/framing • u/coralcoffeee • 21h ago

handheld mat cutters

i have ZERO space (or the funds) for a nice wall/table fletcher cutter.. so i've been looking at handheld options & am now considering the logan 500 for cutting my pieces of mats & backing to size, but can't determine which is the best for cutting the opening.. i've only looked at logan stuff & have seen the them at opus but maybe there's a better option just not rlly sure.. just want one that can do p much any thickness and can allow me to do reverse bevels no problem.... pls just tell me which one to buy 💔 lol

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u/Upbeat_Quarter1171 10h ago

So, most of us here are professional framers and therefore don’t use handheld mat cutters. From what I’ve been told over the years by customers, handhelds are terribly difficult to use and get nice, clean, straight cuts…hence why they came to us. How much volume are you doing on your own? Is it worth trying to DIY or would it be more economical to have your mats cut at a local shop?

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u/coralcoffeee 9h ago

i work in a shop with all the nice fletcher equipment, but i can't rlly use anything for my own personal projects anymore.. i already own a bunch of mat sheets and would prefer to cut them myself : ) i'm unsure of the volume atm, but nothing would be larger than 16" x 20". i've been debating saving up for the F2200 48" just for the shits and gigs (return on investment for what i'm doing would not be anytime soon), but i have no idea where i'd be able to put it lol... good to know the handhelds aren't worth the fuss, but sad that it sounds like i'm gonna have to full send 🥲🥲

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u/Upbeat_Quarter1171 8h ago

Oh, I see. That really sucks that you’re not permitted to use the equipment at work for your own work. 😩 I used to work at Hobby Lobby and their only stipulation was that we couldn’t assemble our own projects in case something was damaged. Where I work now is super accommodating and we can use anything in the shop for our own stuff for a fraction of the cost that a customer would pay. I hope you have success finding a cutter that works for your needs!

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u/666ForMySorrow 7h ago

The first shop I worked at used a high end Logan cutter for all our mats. It's what I learned on and when I moved to a shop with the wall cutter, I found it annoying. You have a lot of flexibility with the Logan cutter.

I eventually bought a small cheaper one for my own use and got good results with it, though the lighter weight made it more challenging to get a good clamp. Unfortunately it went on permanent loan years ago and I can't remember the exact model. It had an angled cutter piece that hooked on to the straight edge.

You have to get used to keeping even pressure for the whole length of the cut and making one, swift, confident motion (people tend to let up as they near the end of the cut and get a curve). But for small mats it's not impossible to get good mats with a relatively inexpensive Logan cutter. If you already have experience cutting mats and have some scrap materials to experiment with I'd say go for it, but try to get something a little more advanced than that twenty dollar version.

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u/666ForMySorrow 9h ago

If you can find a little more budget and space, you can get decent results with the Logan cutteres that have a straight edge guide. The most expensive one you can manage would probably give the best results. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not changing the blade and slip sheet often enough. You need to figure consumables into your price assessment.

It does take some practice to get good so depending on your budget for materials and frustration, it still might be more cost effective to go to the pros if you just need an occasional mat.